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Eurasia
January 26, 2018 www.intellinews.com I Page 20
be to the advantage of those close to the IRGC or huge business affiliates such as Khatam al Anbia.
Observers also say there is not a big enough pool of buyers and liquidity in the country’s financial system to take over the huge industrial conglomerates owned by the Guard. Foreign ownership of such substantial assets remains difficult to achieve given Washington's refusal to lift sanctions placed on the IRGC which it sees as a backer of terrorism such as via its links with Lebanon's Hezbollah. In fact, as things stand in relations between Iran and the Trump administration, the US is more likely to double down on such sanctions in the near future.
No date yet has been given for the commence- ment of military-held asset sales, but the Iran
Privatisation Organisation is to be tasked with selling IRGC-affiliate-owned and similarly owned companies through public auctions.
There are believed to be more than 200 holding companies owned by the Iranian military appa- ratus. It is estimated that they employ more than 135,000 people directly.
The Guard was formed soon after the Shah was forced from power in 1979. It initially operated as a local force across Iran, but it expanded quickly after Saddam Hussein invaded Iran in 1980 and Ayatollah Khomeini permitted it to have its own ground, navy and air forces. After succeeding Khomeini in 1989, Khamenei created the Quds force, which is in charge of the IRGC's foreign op- erations, such as those in Iraq and Syria.
April 19–20, 2018, London
VII Cbonds Emerging Markets Bond Conference
About the event
Cbonds Emerging Markets Bond Conference is the established annual meeting place for anyone involved in EM bond market! Bringing together over 200 attendees annually, it is the only event where you can take part in engaging discussions, hold productive meetings and establish new contacts with a wide range of EM investors.
This year key sessions will feature reputed speakers on macroeconomic issues, FI analysts, representatives of DCM and managers, who will share their predictions on capital market conditions and discuss up-to-date investment ideas in the EM fixed income world.
Join us to access the industry’s decisionmakers in one place!
The main topics:
• Global macro & fixed income panel; • Institutional investors panel;
• DCM panel;
• Special sections: Latin America, Middle East, Africa, Russia, Ukraine, CIS and Caucasus region states
Contacts
Sponsorship:
Sergey Zobov: szobov@cbonds.info, +7 (812) 336-97-21 *103
Participation:
Ksenia Ardelyan: ka@cbonds.info +7 (812) 336-97-21 *132